Apparatus for amalgamating



lMmzh 1'0, 1925. 1,529,038

A. ROOTV APPARATUS Fon AMALGAMATING Fi1ed Apr11 2e, 1924 t wm?.

Sno: una:

` put into operation, and which may be main- APatented Mar. 10, 1925,

UNITED STATES PATE1\1ToFrlcr..A

ALEXANDER Roor, o F sAN FRANCISCO, cALrFoRNIA.

APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING.

Ta'ZZ whom it mag/'concern' f "Be `it known `that I, ALEXANDER Roo'r, a

:citizen of the United States, and a. resident ered through amalgamation with `mercurythan hitherto accomplished, and such means which shally be simple and inexpensive to tained in working effectiveness at a minimum of expense.

Briefly described'fthe method of amalgamation consists inpassing the placer sand and graveltogether with water over a still body of liquid mercurywhereby the values and gravel, means isprovided to prevent are extractedl by the mercury as the material is floated over theliquid surface, and my apparatusy for use f therewith consists cer-- tain receptacles for n the liquid mercury adapted to be placed in the bottoms of sluice boxes, vmill" tables, let cetera,- -whereby the pool of liquidmercuryis presented with' al proper workingsurface to the moving sand splashing of the mercury by large stones, a

Treservoir is provided v for sinkingv of' thel amalgam, and an opening is provided in the reservoir for the removal o'fthe amalgam) :without disturbing the setting of the ap-ff 'paratus in they I`'sluice box ;-also otherA fea-` turesare incorporatedgsuch as means for forming a tightconnection between thereceptacle and thebottom yof 'the sluice box, easy renewal of the anti-splash features to l`provide for wear, etcetera.

1 In the drawings accompanying this specification Figure 1 shows in perspective the f general appearanceof my a-malgamating` receptacle; Figure 2 is a cross section of'a n yedge'on top-asjshown at (8) in Figure 4, and

sluice box with the receptacle' in position c -set in an opening inthe bottom .of"the^box;

box.

`chute opening.

Application mea April 2s; Y1924.k serial No. 709,540.v

Figure 3 isgan enlargedjlongitudinal section of the box showing the receptacle in cross section, flanged and'with'the flanges set into a recess 1n the bottomof the box; Figure 4 is an enlarged end vview ofone of the screen kbars "Figure 5is a plan showing a staggered arrangement of my receptacles in a mill table;l and Figure 6 is a plan view of a seriesof the-receptacles arranged in a -sluicc Figure y7 is a cross section of the receptacle showing an optional way of setting itinto the bottom of the sluice box. i

In its preferred form'my receptacle consists of a section of vpipe (1) preferably of about two inches in diameter and having an opening'or slot formed in one sidewith an upstanding wall (2) of metal welded to the pipe all around the opening and flanged on both long edges als'shown at (3).` The pipe fis closed or Ycapped at both ends as shown and at one end extends ya short distance being and so that a wrench may also bevapplied to the-pipe to steady it if desired.

The walls (2) are preferably at a slight angle 'as shown more clearly in Figure` 8 andform aV sort ofv chute preferably about twoinehes wide on top, leading to the interiorof the pipe, and transversely arranged in thischute is a number of spaced plates or grate bars (6) to form a vscreen over the Any form of grate or screen may be used overA the openingbut-I prefer theplates as` they Y`are easily inserted*y in grooves (f7) -yond the wall (2) asshownl at (4) so-that `the cap (5) will be accessible-for unscrewformedvin the long walls (2) orl in a sepaf,

when` `all are in plaeethey are abouty a half inch apart and present a grate har or screen surface about three-eighths of an inch below the upper edge ot' the chute. The receptacle is set in the bottom (9) of the sluice box as shown in Figure 3, the flanges being` unequally set in the wood on account of the pitch otthe box, so as Ito present a level surface to the upper edges of thechute.y and the flanges are preferably cemented and screwed or bolted vto fthe bottom of. `the box to make a tight joint. while the ends are similarly cemented and` 'form a tight joint with the sides (10) of the box. and it is also desirable that the receptacle be additionally supported by straps (11) passing around the pipe and bolted or lagged at (12) to the sides of the box.

Instead of setting' the receptacle in the sluice box bottom as shown in Figure 3 'it may be "done as in Figure 7 where the upper flange only is let into the wood o't the box bottom and the lower flange rests ontop. `Other methods ot applyinglthe receptacle lto the bottom of the sluice box may present themselves, the important point! to guard against is that the gravel should lead frently to the mercury surface so as not to violently splash into it.

In applying the receptacles to a wide box or mill table several small receptacles may' be used and staggered as shown in Figure '5, vand in practice several ot the receptacles will be `placed across the sluicebox in'spaced relation as shown in Fiejure '6 so as to successively ytreat the passing' material lto insure comple-te amalgamation of the `gold.

vIn operation the receptacles are tilled wit-h mercury to within about one-,sixteenth of an inch of the upper edge, andthe sand, gravel and water lis run over 4the sluice in theusual way and when the material strikes the clear pool et mercury above the grate bars it simply vfloated across by the rushing; `water and discharged over the Itar edge otth-e chute.. thus applyingra bath ot liquid mercury to the n'loving;v material 'For amalgamation ott its precious metalcontent.

The `erate bars provide a support for the larger stones. `thus preiven'tingr splashing of the mercury. :though in case ot treating reduced material or pulp thea'rate could be dispensed with. 'The upper' edges ott -thc hars are as thiu as practieableto reduce lthe surface ,to which Yany amalgam can ladhere `orpile up or to 'be carried kout ot thechute by `the moving' gravel. and beiner -vertically arraniredfpcrmit sinking ot'ithe amalgam tto the A,lower pait'ottlie receptacle. `thus always presenting` a clean surface. Aoi" -mercury tor the treating et the Aoncomingy material. Lthus treating lthe fmovinrr material -on a fpo'ol of -still lmercury iiouring and loss of y V`mercury* 'fis entirely avoided and 'the `grate ,bars prevent*physical loss LAthror'igh splashing lfrom laige-sitor1es, also preventlarge stones -from engaging the leaving edge of the receptacle thus insuring their constant downward travel.

To remove the amalgam it is merely necessary to remove the cap from the pipe and take it from the open end of the pipe, and if-very thick a few of the Vbars (t) may be removed and the amalgam pushed out from above. In this connection it is evident that the grate .hars (.6) .may be all secured together like any lgrate, but if separate as shown it provides tor removal or changing around ot those most worn.

Where aseries ot receptacles is used any one at a time may be emptied without stopping the flow oft material by simply sliding an iron cover on top of the open chute and allowing the material to pass over it until the receptacle "has v'been emptied and refilled with mercury. Any sand or gravel ,Qjetting into the receptacle will ofcourse vtloat out again when the receptacle is rilled with mercury. Y In contemplatingmy invention as set forth it will be seen that the one of Athe main features is the treating of la moving body of material with a still pool of rliquid mercury while prevent-ingthe Vmercury from splashing` and therefore the apparatus to carry it out may assume a variety of shapes other than the precise form shown, :and Vany modifications thereotl falling within ythefspirit of 4the invention is intended to 4be covered in my appended claims.

I claim:

l Amalgamati n e' .apparatus .comprising a sluice box or mining' table havingr .a. pool of liquid mercury in its bottom and vover 'which the precious metal bearing 4deposits are adapted to pass. said pool yoit' mercury havi-n a :retainingedge projecting' above .its surface. and a Vgrate :positioned below its surface substantially parallel therewith.

"2. Ama-lgrama ting; .apparatus .comprising a sluice box Ior lminingf table having a :pool .o'i liquid anercury in its bottom and `over which the `precious metal bearing :deposits rare adapted'to pass-said .poolot mercury having a retaining; edge projecting! above its surtace. and a series of errate bars positioned just #below Iits suriaee suhstantiallyr parall el therewith.

3. Amalgamating' apparatus .compiti-sing a sluiee box or mining' table having a spool ot liquid `mercury in its Ibottom jand `over which ithe preciouswmetal bearing' .deposits .are adapted Kto pass. said apool of `mercury having a retaining edge proiectingiaboyeits surface. and a series ofzeratebarspositioned below its surface, said sbars 'being :rela-tively thin spaced plates placed on edge withthe'ir vupper edfres substantially yparallel with 4the of liquid mercury in yits bottom and over which the precious metal bearing deposits are adaptedk to pass,said kpool of mercury having a retaining edge projecting above its f' surface, and a series ograte bars ypositioned the surface of the mercury and being reduced in thickness.

5. Amalgamating apparatus comprising a pipe with an opening on the side with a wall therearound, and a grate over the opening below vthe edge of the Wall.

ALEXANDER ROOT. 

